Domaine de la Roche Paradis

Yann Menager is the owner and winemaker for this small domain, established in 2012 and based in Saint-Joseph, just south of Condrieu. He was the vineyard manager for Yves Cuilleron for almost 20 years and has leveraged his knowledge of the great sites of the northern Rhône to acquire some superb vineyard parcels of his own. Over the last decade he has assembled 8.5 ha in Saint-Joseph, Condrieu and Côte Rôtie and small holdings of the regional appellation IGP des Collines Rhodaniennes.

The vineyards are all managed organically with no weed-killer or herbicides used, picking is done by hand and yields are kept low at around 35 hL/ha or less (maximum yield allowed for Saint Joseph is 40 hl/ha). The wines are made at Yann’s small stone winery in the tiny hamlet of Champailler, located very high above the vineyards of Saint Joseph at 798 m elevation (no vines at this elevation here - mostly just mixed farms of cows sheep and goats) and just below the aptly named Roche Paradis.

All the wines undergo natural ferment and natural malolactic conversion (including for white wines). The whites are whole-bunch pressed for maximum finesse and the reds all see 30-70 % whole bunches in the ferment. Larger barrels and demi-muids are increasingly being used with some 400 litre Syvlain barrels. All the wines are bottled un-fined and unfiltered and ageing on fine lees for most cuvee has been extended for an extra 2-3 months ensuring 2 winters aged on fine lees for most wines. The extra ageing is not in barrels but rather in tank before bottling allowing more time for the blends of all barrels to come together, a practice that many of our producers are doing now. The second winter aged on fine lees brings more natural stability to the wines and unltimately more freshness from contact with the fine lees.

Yann’s goal is to make the wines as simply as possible, with minimum intervention and a focus on purity. The result is a small range of wines that show superb energy and balance, with a freshness and finesse that harks back to the days before super-extraction and lots of new oak became de-rigueur in the Northern Rhône. These are beautifully fresh and fine terroir driven wines that speak of the granite and schist soils they are grown in. Needless to say they will remain an insiders’ secret as very little gets exported. Indeed most of the wines are consumed in some of the best restaurants of the region in Lyon and nearby and Yann does not seek reviews and points to sell these wines making them a perfect fit for Vintage & Vine.

‘Having been a great admirer of the finest wines of the Rhone Valley since the early 1980s, in 1997 I again visited the region and sought to discover the wines of Yves Cuilleron who at that time was largely unknown and he farmed just 6.5 ha. After knocking on the door of his cellar Yves opened the door and invited me to taste and so I chose a selection of his impressive wines to immediately ship to Australia. So it seems very fitting to introduce the wines of Cuilleron’s young friend and protege (and former vineyard manager for about 17 years) Yann Menager to the Australian market more than 20 years later. I feel just as excited and just as sure about the quality of the discovery of this tiny estate as I did more than 20 years ago. I have the family from Mont-Redon to thank for this wonderful introduction as the tiny quantities of wine produced here mean these wines will never be easy to find. Quantities will always remain very limited and confidential as Yann wants to keep a tight reign on his vineyard work and similar to PYCM he aims to produce wines of 2-10 barrels of most cuvees to ensure the highest quality. Fastidiously careful selection of terroir has been the cornerstone of this very small fine estate. His cellars are located high above the vineyards of Saint Joseph in a small farmhouse that he is renovating which forms part of a polyculture farm. The small size of the buildings and remote location necessitate that this small beautiful estate will remain very confidential.’
David Burkitt, Founder and Principal, Vintage and Vine.

WINE NOTES AND REVIEWS

2022 Condrieu Veauvignière
100 % Viognier from vines planted 1990 in a small very steep south facing amphitheatre near Malleval (where Guigal has bought half of the famed Condrieu vineyard Lys de Volan). The soils in both Veauvignère and Volan are based on migmatite leucocrate which brings freshness and texture and palate length to the wine. Matured for 10 months in older barriques, this wine shows a very pure, mineral style of Condrieu which retains fresness and drinks well for several years. Only 9 barrels produced. 13.5 % alcohol. Only 330 dozen produced.

2022 Condrieu Verlieu - VERY limited
100 % Viognier. Just 2 barrels from the first vintage made from vines in this prime location in the village of Saint Michel-sure-Rhone just south of Chateau Grillet. The soil here is based on granite with biotite mica inclusions (like Chateau Grillet) which brings freshness and texture to the wine. Barrel fermention in 2 older barriques, followed by 18 months maturation adds a level of complexity only found in the finest Condrieus. If you love Chateau Grillet and fresh style Viognier with minerality and finesse, this is for you. The freshness depth and complexity of this wine enable longer ageing for this wine, similar to Chateau Grillet, of up to around 10 years. Only 50 dozen produced in 2022.

2022 Saint-Joseph blanc Les Vessettes
A field blend, produced from 50 % Marsanne (planted 1974) and 50 % Roussanne (planted 2011) planted in sandy decomposed granitic soil at Les Vessettes on the east-facing slope above the town of Chavanay. Barrel-fermented with natural yeasts and matured in barrique for 10 months, without battonage. Only 375 dozen produced. A rich and aromatic style of Saint Joseph blanc which retains good freshness and acidity and balance. Outstanding in 2022.

2022 Saint-Joseph rouge La Bergerie
100% Syrah from 20 year old vines also from the lieu-dit of Les Vessettes on decomposed granite above the town of Chavanay. The wine was fermented with about 30% whole bunches to produce an elegant floral style of Syrah which sees just 10% new oak. Yann points out that he seeks less extraction for this cuvee resulting in more finesse and very good Syrah red fruit perfume in the mouth. Easily the richest and most impressive vintage we have tasted of this wine which was kept on skins for just 2 weeks before cuvaison. Matured in older barriques for 15 months before bottling without fining or filtration. The largest cuvee of the Domaine with 750 dozen bottles produced. Brilliant wine in 2022 with more depth and structure than previously and will age well too.

2023 Saint-Joseph rouge La Madone 750m + magnums
La Madonne is a small but spectacularly sited granite vineyard right beside the medieval village of Malleval. Facing due south from vines planted mid 1950’s which yield an impressively concentrated yet mineral and very detailed Syrah. The 2023 wine was fermented with about 70% whole bunches and then matured for 15 months in older barriques. More fragrant yet also richer and denser than the Bergerie this wine has incredibly fine tannins with impressive depth and structure. It finishes very long with seductive velvety tannins and that trademark freshness and finesse. Just 165 dozen bottles produced. An absolute stand-out wine.

2022 Côte-Rôtie Rozier 750m + magnums - last few magnums available of 2022
100% Syrah in the lieu-dit of Rozier (Côte Brune - just above La Landonne) with a perfect south-west exposition from vines planted 1998 in narrow terraces on this famous steep slope. The 2022 wine was fermented with about 70% whole bunches and then matured for 15 months in 1, 2 and 3 year-old barriques and 1 new barrel making up 20% new oak. Even in the warm vintage of 2022 this is a very fresh (12.5% alc) and aromatic style of Côte Rôtie from soils of schist and brown, iron oxide-rich clay on this superb site. How great Côte Rôtie used to be, elegant and perfumed with very moderate alcohol, with lovely mid-palate volume and a long complex finish, framed by fine silky tannins and refreshing acidity. Only 120 dozen bottles produced.

2023 Côte-Rôtie Planèze - NEW - VERY Limited
First vintage of this new cuvee made from 40% Petite Serine (an old strain of Syrah which was popular with the old-timers of Cote Rotie, and now increasingly in the southern Rhone) and 60% Syrah in the lieu-dit of Planèze (Côte Brune) in the far north of the appellation in the village of Saint Cyr sur le Rhone with an east south-east exposition. A very fresh and aromatic style of Côte Rôtie from mica-schist and Arzele soil on this cooler northern site where he plows and works the soil with horse. The wine was fermented with about 30% whole bunches and then matured for 20 months in 1, 2 and 3 year-old barriques and then for 6 months in tank to blend all the barrels together and spend more time on fine lees. This wine shows a more exotic side with great perfume and excellent richness and depth together with excellent freshness and lower alcohol from the Petite Serine. Tiny production of just 150 dozen in this first vintage. Super attractive already - and super limited with just 5 dozen available to our market..